China Bans Faith for All Children

 

"Article 14 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child states that 'State parties shall respect the right of the child to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.' China's constitution in article 36 also protects the right of children to seek religious belief. And yet the reality...in China is far different..." - Emilie Kao, The Heritage Foundation On October 5, 2020, in Washington, D.C., human rights and religious freedom NGO Jubilee Campaign (founder and Executive Director Regent Law alumni Ann Buwalda) hosted their side event to the United Nations Human Rights Council 45th Session, titled China Bans Faith for All Children. This event, which featured both expert speakers as well as survivors of persecution in China, informed international activists about China’s violations of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child with regards to the rights to religious freedom. Among special guests were Emilie Kao of The Heritage Foundation, Bob Fu of ChinaAid, Peter Irwin of Uyghur Human Rights Project, Elfidar Iltebir of Uyghur American Association, Sean Lin of Falun Dafa D.C., Kai Müller of International Campaign for Tibet, and two victims of persecution in China.   Article 14 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) stipulates that “States Parties shall respect the right of the child to freedom of thought, conscience and religion” and that “States Parties shall respect the rights and duties of the parents and, when applicable, legal guardians, to provide direction to the child in the exercise of his or her right in a manner consistent with the evolving capacities of the child.” Despite these protections, however, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has consistently violated children’s rights to freedom of religion or belief, and China’s Christian, Tibetan Buddhist, Uyghur, and Falun Gong children continue to face persecution and harassment in virtually all aspects of their lives.   In addition to violating Article 14, the Chinese Communist Party also violates Article 13 on the right to freedom of expression as well as Article 30 on the rights of cultural, ethnic, religious, and linguistic minorities to “enjoy his or her own culture, to profess and practice his or her own religion, or to use his or her own language.”  Indeed, China has banned faith for all children.

 

To learn more about the Convention on the Rights of the Child, why the United States of America has not become a signatory, and how it is not helping children download for free and read: 

A Brief Assessment of the 25-Year Effect of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, 23 Cardozo J. Int’l. & Compar. L. 323 (2015).

Suffer the Children: How the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Has Not Supported Children, 22 N.Y. Int’l. L. Rev.